Internal-combustion engine



Patented May 9, 1922,

h n: n m

L w 5% m F. I. REED.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-3.1920.

Patented May 9, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET v1 4 46 4 'suming gases to further, increase the UNITED STATES FRANK T. REED, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OIf SIERT, 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

ONE 41111 'I'Ov ALVIN I-I.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, F RANK J. Reno, ,a

citizen of the United States, residing at Qmaha,in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an internal combustion'engine.

Anobject of the invention is to provide an engine of this type with a pair of pistons which are each connected to the crankshaft and arranged to move in opposite directions and which are adapted to operate under impact for utilizing the expansive force of condriving action on the crank shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel type of crank shaft and novel connections between the same and the inner and outer pistons'for effecting the diametrically opposite thrusts upon the crank shaft at opposite sides of the crank shaft axis whereby to. exert a torque uponthe crank shaft in the same direction and at the same time.

A still further feature of the present invention is to provide anovel structure of cylinder and mounting therefor whereby the intake and exhaust may be effected in a practical and thorough manner and wherein proper ignition may take place'in the, in-

terior chamber between the heads of the oppositely moving and concentrically arranged pistons.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more par ticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a transverse section taken through an internal combustion engine constructed according to the present invention and taken through one of the cylinders thereof, parts being shown in dotted lines and broken away for the purpose of showing. the novel features of the present invention. the section being taken on the line 11 in Fig. 2;

c Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation ofan internal combustion engine embodying the Specification of Letters Patent. Patrgntgd Itiay 9, Application filed December 3, 1920. Serial No. 427,980.

features of this invention, one end of the same being shown in section. I

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a cylinder block forming the upper part of 1 a crank case and which is provided at opposite sides w th outstanding bracket armsll, by means of which the engine maybe attached to a vehicle frame or other suitable the engine and is provided in its'upper portion with transverse webs 12 suitably spaced apart and provided intermediate their ends with depending arms 13 having bearings 14 I support. The section 10 forms the frame ofv in their lower ends into which is fitted aycrank shaft 15, the crank shaft being held-in the bearings 14 by caps 16 in the usual manner. A lower section 17. of the-crank case is detachably secured to the upper. section 10 by bolts 18 or the like, and is preferably pro- I vided in its lower end with a perforated' strainer plate 19 spaced above the bottom and detachably held therein by bolts 20.

The crank shaft 15 is provided with a plurality of cranks 21 and 22, two for each cylinder of the engine, and the cranks 21 and 22 being arranged inalternate relation and.

in pairs andbeing joined together prefer ably by disc portions 23of the crank shaft which serve as means for counterbalancing the shaft to reduce vibration- The engine may be provided with any clesired number of cylinders, and, as shown in Fig. 2, the cylinders arejpreferably cast in pairs and the cylinderblocks are secured by bolts 24; to the frame 10 with their axes intersecting the aXisof the crankshaft- 15. The cylinders 25 areclosed at their upper endsby a detachable head 26 held to thecyl inder block by bolts 27, suitable packing being used inthe ordinary manner, a-ndthe head 26 is provided wit-h a water jacket or space 28 from which leads theusualradiator connection 29 foreifecting circulation of the water throughout the jacket 28.

In each cylinder 25 is disposed a pair of pistons 30 and 31. The piston 30 is of a cylindrical form, open at its lower end'toward the crankshaft 15-andwhich. is closed at'its upper end by a removable head oryplug 32 which is preferably screw threaded into the .top of the cylinder 30 and provided with tool-engaging lugs 33 to facilitate manipulation of the head 82 whenthe main head'26 is removed. from the cylinder block. N

' hei ht as to r ister The lower or inner end of the cylindrical piston has at one side a wall extension 84: and is provided across its lower end with a preferably integral transverse web arranged in spaced relation to the extension 345 and forming therewith a support for awrist pin 36 the wrist pin being held in place by a lock nut 37 and adapted to pivotally carry the upper end of a connecting rod 38. The connecting rod 38 extends downwardly and is preferably offset lengthwise of the crank shaft 15 to register with the crank portion 22 of the crank shaft and upon which the connecting rod 38 is mounted.

The inner piston 31 has a wrist pin 39 upon which is mounted a connecting rod 10 which extends downwardly through the outer cylindrical piston 30 and has a pivotal connection upon the crank portion 21 of the crank shaft. It is thus evident that the pistons 30 and 31 are connected to the crank shaft 15 at diametrically opposed points, or at 180 apart so that the pistons move toward and from each other during rotation of the crank shaft.

Each cylinder 25 is provided on one side with an integral intake channel 41 to which is attached a manifold l2 leading from a carbureter 413. The cylinder head 26 is preferably provided in one side and in registry with the chamber 41 with a recess or chainbered portion as into which is threaded a valve cage 4L5 carrying an intake valve 16 controlled by a spring l? to normally seat in the cage and close the passage 44. The valve head. 26 alsohas in its under side a compression chamber or recessed portion t8 communicating with the passage 4 and also with a passage 49 formed in the cylinder 25 and extending downwardly along one wall thereof and opening through a port 50 in the wall of the cylinder 25 and at such c with a corresponding port 51 formed in the side wall of the cylindrical or outer piston 30. v

The cylinder 25 is also provided at one side, preferably diametrically opposite the port 50, with an exhaust port 52 leading to a valve chamber 53 in which is located an exhaust valve 5 1-. The valve has a stem 55 which passes down through the chamber 53 and into the upper end of the base 10 of the engine. The rod 51 rests upon a cam 56 mounted on a cam shaft 57 journaled in the base 10. The cam 56 is adapted to lift the rod 55, and a spring 58 normally seats the valve 5 1 when the stem is relieved of the pressure of the cam.

A removable plug 59 is placed in the upper side of the valve chamber 53 to admit gases to the chamber for the removal of the valve .54- and also for grinding the valve seat. The cylinder 80, which forms the outer piston, is provided in its wall with an exhaust port 60 adapted to register with the exhaust port 52 and to admit escape of consumer. gases from the interior of the cylindrical piston 30 at such times as the piston 30 is raised and the inner piston 31 lowered.

The gases are ignited in the upper end of the cylindrical piston 30 by spark from a spark plug 61 which is threaded into one side of the cylinder 25 opposite an opening 62 in said side of the cylinder 25 adapted to communicate with a spark opening 63 formed in the cylindrical piston 30 when the piston is lowered to approximately its lowermost compressing position. A high tension lead 6 1 is carried to the spark plug 61 from a suitable distributor 65 having a distributor shaft 66 driven in any suitable manner, such shown, by the chain 67.

The chain 6? is driven from the crank shaft 15 and suitable sprockets or the like are provided as is common in internal com bustion engine structure. The cam shaft 57 which regulates the opening and closing of the exhaust valves 54. is also driven by the crank shaft 15 through a chain 68 or the like, the shaft 57 being preferably driven at the same rate of speed as that of the crank shaft 15. As shown inliig. 2 the crank shaft 15 may be provided with the ordinary fly wheel 69 forming one member of a clutch, and it is of course understood that the engine may have an y number of cylinders otherwise suitably grouped together than as shown and dependent upon the type'of engine.

In operation the downward travel of the outer piston 30 creates suction in the top of the cylinder 25 with the result that the intake valve 16 is moved to open position inst tension of its spring 47 and the suction is then transmitted to the chamber 41 and manifold 12. A charge of combustible fuel is thus taken into the top of the cylinder a5 and in the compression chamber 48 of the head.

Raising of the cylindrical outer piston 30 compresses the charge just taken into the chamber 43 and its passage L9 the passage 49 being closed bv the imperforate portion of the wall of piston 30 and the combustible fuel being steadily and further compressed until the piston 30 has reached its highest position when the ports 50 and 51 are brought together and the fuel under pressure is permitted to escape into the interior of the piston 30 at the upper end thereof. This escape of the fuel under compression into the piston 30 is permitted because the inner piston 31 is moved downwardly at a rate proportionately to the rise of the outer piston and consequently the inner piston clears the intake opening 51.

As soon as the charge has been delivered to the top of the piston 30, the crank shaft has advanced sufliciently for moving the pistons 30 and 31 toward each other with the result that the entrapped fuel is compressed be tween the heads of the pistons until the outer piston 30 is moved down into .a position to bring the spark opening 63 opposite Explosion of the gases effects impact upon the under side of'the head of the outer pis ton 30 and upon the upper side of the inner piston 31, causing the pistons to move apart with one piston forcing downwardly on one side of the crank shaft 15, and with the other piston forcing upwardly on the opposite side of the crank shaft to thus produce a two-fold pressure operating in the same direction to exert a turning moment upon the crank shaft 15. The crank shaft is thus balanced in its action as thethrust is not impacted upon one side of the axis of the crank shaft, and a" thrust is practically equally disposed atopposite sides to prevent undue pounding on the bearings or vibration to. any appreciable extent.

After an explosion the rise of the inner piston 31 tends to eject the products of combustion out of the piston 30 through. the exhaust opening 60, which, upon completion of the downward stroke of the piston 31- is in registry with the exhaust port 52 of the outer cylinder 25. I

At this time also the cam 56 is in position for maintaining the valve rod elevated for holding the exhaust valve open. During the completion of the cycle the piston 31-is further moved up into the piston 30 to compress a new charge and the exhaust ports 60 and 52 are moved out of re istry.

I do not wish to be restricted to the size, form, and proportions of the various parts, and obviously changes could be made in the construction herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it

being only necessary that suchchang es fall within the scope of the appended claims.

That is claimedisz- 1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a. two-part crank case, the upper part of said case having transverse webs with depending supporting arms having bearings in their lower ends, a crank shaft supported in said bearings, cylinders mounted upon the crank case, apair of pistons mounted in each cylinder, said crank intake and outlet shaft having a pair of .oifset'cranks in registry with each cylinder, and independent connecting rods between the pistons and the crank portions of the crank shaft whereby said crank portions are adapted to move said pistons toward and from eaclr other during turning of the crank shaft."

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder provided with a charge intake at its upper end and a charge outlet near its lower end, said'cylinder also having a. longitudinal passage in one wall leading from the upper end of the cylinder and opening-into the cylinder at a point near the lowerend thereof, a cylindrical piston mounted in the, cylinder and having an intake port near its lower end adapted to register with. said longitudinal passage when the piston is raised for admitting a charge to the interior of the piston, said piston also having in a piston wall an exhaust port adapted to register with said exhaust at the side of the cylinder, a second piston slidable in the first piston and adapted when lowered to 'uncoversaid intake and said exhaust ports, a crank shaft, and spaced connections on the crank shaft between thefsame' and said pistons.

3. In an internal combustion, engine, a cylinder having a compression chamber in its upper end and a passage leading from said chamber to a point towardthe' lower end of the cylinder for admitting a charge thereat, a pair oftelescoping pistons fitting in the cylinder, a crank shaft, connections between the crank shaft and the pistons for 'movlng the same toward and from each other, said cylinder having an exhaust port opposite the inlet of said passage, the outer piston having opposed and slightly offset ports adapted to align with said passage and said exhaust port of the cylinder, and the second piston being adapted for movement to consecutively un- I cover the exhaust and intake ports, whereby to control the feed and exhaust of fuel from within the outer piston. I

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. REED.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR H. STURGES, HIRAM A. S'ronens. 

